The usual requirement for exits (fire egress) from a bedroom in a single family home is one door from the bedroom leading into the interior of the house and, if on an upper or lower floor, up or down a 3 ft wide stair to the grade level where two exterior exit doors to grade are required but they can't pass through a garage.

There is usually also an "emergency escape and rescue window" requirement only for bedrooms. This is not an "exit" or "fire egress" so it follows it's own rules for the minimum size of window opening and maximum height of the sill from the floor. I don't see why it can't be located on a screened porch (the outside wall is where the window is) but you should ask the local building inspector to be sure.

Hi Colleen, We submitted plans in NC this summer which failed for the very reason you mention! We have a first floor master bedroom and it has 2 french doors exiting to a screened porch. This is against the new code here (as of 2010 I believe). You must be able to exit the home from a bedroom either via a window or a door to the outside of the home, and a screened porch does not count as outside. This doesn't make much logical sense to me because in theory my bedroom could have windows to the outside, and those windows would have screens, right? From a fire point of view, the screen itself doesn't seem to be a problem, so I am not sure why the bedroom can't exit to a screened porch? As silly as it seems to me, the county was very picky about this, so you might as well design knowing how they feel about it!

Good luck!

If the screened porch had an exterior door to grade it would be a legal "emergency escape and rescue" path under every building code I have used but it would not be considered a "means of egress" unless it was one of the 2 exits required from the ground floor of the house. Emergency escape and rescue opening requirements are entirely separate from means of egress requirements even though both might be satisfied by an exterior door.

Normally the required "means of egress" would be back through the house and therefore a door to a porch would be considered a "supplemental exit" with no particular requirements and also an emergency escape and rescue opening" with quite different requirements.

For an emergency escape and rescue opening, the requirements usually say nothing about the "exterior" of the building and they even allow passage through the opening into a below grade areaway or into an enclosed bulkhead with similar very small opening requirements. These small openings can also have protective bars, grilles, and screens covering them as long as a tool or a key is not needed to open them. Exiting through a door and a screened porch would be far easier and safer than squeezing through a small window and areaway or covered hatch that could be accidentally blocked.

Of course, there might be a local ordinance that is contrary to the national codes or the building officials are fearful that a screened porch will later be enclosed without an escape door or window and without a building permit. That seems silly since anyone can do this just by nailing a required door or window shut or locking it with a key from inside.

Thank you guys for helping me. Of course there is a door to the interior, but the window and french door open up onto the screened porch in the plan I like. I like it but a red flag went up in my mind to ask as I am afraid NC will say no. Do you know where to get a copy of the codes? I only found a place to order online and they were costly. Again, thank you both for helping me - I am so grateful!!! Take care, Colleen

It appears that North Carolina has a statewide mandatory building code that applies to all buildings except 1 and 2 family dwellings.

The code for 1 and 2 family dwellings may be adopted locally so you would have to ask the local building official for the name of the code and any supplements, etc. and tell us what that is.

Hopefully it is a nationally published code like the 2003 or 2006 International Residential Code (IRC) published by the International Code Council (ICC).

You have a designer. Let him worry about such things. And make paying him for the plans contingent on them being approved by your permit issuing authority.

Good point. And if the designer doesn't own a set of the relevant codes you'll need to find another designer.

Thank you all very much....we aren't ready to meet with the designer as of yet and I saw a plan and got over eager so I always have to bother my home bulding forum Friends ;)
I am trying to create the design myself and then when I go to the designer just have her follow my design and clean it up. You all are so kind to help me!!! Take care!!

I understand the desire to design your house yourself (I do it full time) but not involving a competent designer at an early date can be a poor use of resources. A professional designer should know more than you do about the design of a house so don't waste that expertise by asking her to only "clean up" your design, let it be a collaboration.

Good point Macv....you always have good points. I wish you could do my house LOL. I guess I was thinking that if I had most of it in my head the way I wanted it, it would lead to less changing of my mind about things and that it would take less time to do. I guess I live in dreamland, hugh? LOL
I do thank you so much for always helping!!! Take care!